I am in no way endorsing the use of alcohol as a performance enhancer BUT...I do often combine my 'downtime pastimes' of drums and a glass of wine. I have noticed that after maybe 2 glasses of wine my playing appears to be better. Not like Buddy better, just a little more relaxed, fills flow, things seem to work better....

Now heres the query; do I keep having the couple of glasses of wine and playing or should I stop that and work more on relaxation and technique?

I am not at a stage, nor do I want to be, where I always have to pour wine down my throat before I hit the kit.

I don't drink if I'm gigging tho....(I don't like drunk people...)

__________________'I STILL wanna be the man with the 50lb hammer...'www.reverbnation.com/jonnysumo

I am in no way endorsing the use of alcohol as a performance enhancer BUT...I do often combine my 'downtime pastimes' of drums and a glass of wine. I have noticed that after maybe 2 glasses of wine my playing appears to be better. Not like Buddy better, just a little more relaxed, fills flow, things seem to work better....

Now heres the query; do I keep having the couple of glasses of wine and playing or should I stop that and work more on relaxation and technique?

I am not at a stage, nor do I want to be, where I always have to pour wine down my throat before I hit the kit.

I don't drink if I'm gigging tho....(I don't like drunk people...)

I have never seen any improvement in my drumming after drinking. I would say work on your actual drumming and not drinking skills.

__________________
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I never do both. I get what you mean about feeling more relaxed, but I'm not at all sure that it makes me play better: most probably, IMO, it just makes me think I play better - because my perception isn't as sharp as it would be if I hadn't had a drink.

I never do both. I get what you mean about feeling more relaxed, but I'm not at all sure that it makes me play better: most probably, IMO, it just makes me think I play better - because my perception isn't as sharp as it would be if I hadn't had a drink.

Yes, I know what you mean; thats why I stressed the 'appears' part of my question. Interestingly tho, the 2 videos I posted on here, the first one (sumo warm up, with the Cozy riff) I was quite 'lubricated', while the 'groove' one I was stone cold sober.
The first one seems to flow bettr (to me) BUT that was where I missed one of the riffs and hit myself on the thumb, the 2nd one seems more restrained but I don't mess anything up....
the biggest issue is time management; I haven't got time to drink as much as I want or to play drums as much as I want to....the ideal solution is, in fact, drunken drumming....sounds like a dubbed jackie Chan movie...

__________________'I STILL wanna be the man with the 50lb hammer...'www.reverbnation.com/jonnysumo

Last edited by Jonny Sumo; 08-17-2013 at 02:10 PM.
Reason: 'streesed' is not a generally used term....

I'm afraid the elated feeling we get from that little tipple does make us sound (to us) like we are Vinnie yet in reality our timing is impaired although we may not think so, and we become dangerous and suffer bouts of bravery where we clearly can't play the fill we are about to execute.
It is also very habit forming where you think you have to have a drink to play.
My rule is i never mix the Two.

I'm afraid the elated feeling we get from that little tipple does make us sound (to us) like we are Vinnie yet in reality our timing is impaired although we may not think so, and we become dangerous and suffer bouts of bravery where we clearly can't play the fill we are about to execute.
It is also very habit forming where you think you have to have a drink to play.
My rule is i never mix the Two.

Slightly off the topic but; I went on Gran Turismo after 4 cans of Stella and couldn't even finish the stage I had won consistently previously, so you are certainly right about the timing thing...never had you down as a Vinnie Paul fan tho....:)

__________________'I STILL wanna be the man with the 50lb hammer...'www.reverbnation.com/jonnysumo

Well there you go!
Is there anything we do that makes us any better after a tot or Two....
A clear head before sitting behind the kit for me, having seen it from the other side many years ago where 'Rock and Roll' meant plenty of excess before and after and often during was more important than what I was actually meant to be doing......Holding the thing down!

Wouldn't it depend on the individual? Alcohol causes some loss of reflexes and coordination but some musicians say it calms their nerves. I suppose they notice greater benefit to their playing from being more relaxed and uninhibited than the losses from the booze's effects on physical coordination.

The beer I drink is 7.2% alcohol. It's actually ale, but I call it beer. I'll drink one of these once in awhile before I play, or even a shot of bourbon or two and it doesn't affect my playing at all. I certainly wouldn't want to have to depend on it to feel relaxed enough to play good.

I stay away from alcohol for the most part. We keep bottles of water in the fridge. If there is beer or whiskey, nobody in my band ever drinks more than 2 or 3 while we're jamming. I appreciate that from the guys. A couple guys never drink alcohol at all. I respect these guys by never being drunk myself. It's unprofessional. A couple is OK, like before a gig I'll have a couple pints and it doesn't affect my playing. I've had a lot of practice doing this so it may be different for a newbie, in fact I'm sure it is. I'm drinking mostly because I'm socializing and enjoying myself, not because I'm nervous or I want to play better.

I bet all the women you're with are soooo beautiful after a drink or two as well...

Funny you should say that Jeff; when I met Ethel (the current Mrs Sumo) at the abattoir xmas party, I never noticed her hump or watering eye...as for the club foot; I just thought she was wearing one platform shoe.
And what a mover she was on the dance floor, the perfect foil for my grace and poise....and people wonder why I drink....

__________________'I STILL wanna be the man with the 50lb hammer...'www.reverbnation.com/jonnysumo

I bet all the women you're with are soooo beautiful after a drink or two as well...

Beer goggles - can't beat 'em ;)

As for playing drums, if you're the nervous type, then one small drink, say 30 minutes before you go on stage, might be a good idea, but anything more than that isn't going to help you. As a practice crutch, I'd say it's not a great idea, but it might enhance your enjoyment :)

A couple is OK, like before a gig I'll have a couple pints and it doesn't affect my playing.

I don't disagree that a little alcohol doesn't affect some people. The problem is, when someone is affected after a few drinks, and thinks they've improved as a result. I've never found that to be the case, and I've gigged with (and seen) a lot of bands over the last 36 years since I was allowed into bars.

I don't disagree that a little alcohol doesn't affect some people. The problem is, when someone is affected after a few drinks, and thinks they've improved as a result. I've never found that to be the case, and I've gigged with (and seen) a lot of bands over the last 36 years since I was allowed into bars.

I have a big glass MZ...not a wine glass, just a sort of tumbler. As I said before, I don't touch it if I'm gigging, only when I'm at home 'practicing'. I always felt it was disrespectful to the person who is paying you to not be stone cold sober - I wouldn't have a drink on my day job...

Most of my playing is solo, doing little bits of recording or video for youtube etc I was more wondering how acceptable/understandable it is to sink a 'glass' at home or should I avoid it and, as previously advised, work on my chops rather than my drinking abilities...

I just feel it relaxes me more, and maybe that's the point; am I maybe too rigid normally when I play/practice?? Stressful job, issues at home (like us all to an extent), drumming and a little tipple are my stress relief...but combining them? Cheers...

__________________'I STILL wanna be the man with the 50lb hammer...'www.reverbnation.com/jonnysumo

You're risking summary arrest,and a possible collar for DUI...Drumming Under the Influence.(Hey ,what do you expect from a cop).

I can see how it makes you feel like your playing is more relaxed and creative.Everybody's different,and for some that may be true.

I just recently reread Eric Claptons autobiography "Clapton",an in it he states ,there wasn't a day or performance that went by,where he wasn't stoned or drunk,till rehab in the 80's.

We have lots of recordings of his studio and live performances,which almost validate the buzzed> playing better senario,....but think about all those performances would have sounded like.....had he been sober all the time.He was in his prime in the late 60 ,and 70's.

Who knows what kind of music,he could have made?

Buddy Rich and especially Gene Krupas weed smoking ,is well known,and in Krupas case,well documanted.I for one,would like to have heard some of those perfomances......without enhancement.

In the 70's,my band would also take a 10 minute break for the" pause that refreshes ",as we used to call it.When we started playing againg,after the break,we thought....this is KILLER.

I used to recoerd most of that we played,and on playback.....the tape dosen't lie,we sucked as oppose to playing sober.

I get the whole playing for a hobby,and why not enhance it...thing.But just put it to the test,and record yourself doing the same exercises,with and without a few classes of wine,and let the tale of the tape be the judge.

I don't care what anyone does to play, as long as the result is the best it can be. Some people need that relaxation. Myself, I can't do alcohol when I play. With even one beer, I start to second guess my meter, not good. But I have no problem with what anyone has to do to play, as long as they sound and act great. I don't think open drinking on stage is very professional looking, if you must drink, at least try and make it not obvious.

I saw Van Halen in 79 when VH II was released.....The most awful gig ever from a playing point of view....They staggered on stage, clearly drunk and continued drinking through the whole show. They were sloppy at best but the atmosphere was incredible, the crowd loved every minute and VH had the time of their lives!
They winged it somehow and as it was their first world tour as headliners it was a constant party for them.
Exuberance and excess were the order of the day for a lot of bands of the genre. Many more fell fowl of their hedonistic antics and caused on stage train wrecks and worse.

I have a big glass MZ...not a wine glass, just a sort of tumbler. As I said before, I don't touch it if I'm gigging, only when I'm at home 'practicing'. I always felt it was disrespectful to the person who is paying you to not be stone cold sober - I wouldn't have a drink on my day job...

Most of my playing is solo, doing little bits of recording or video for youtube etc I was more wondering how acceptable/understandable it is to sink a 'glass' at home or should I avoid it and, as previously advised, work on my chops rather than my drinking abilities...

I just feel it relaxes me more, and maybe that's the point; am I maybe too rigid normally when I play/practice?? Stressful job, issues at home (like us all to an extent), drumming and a little tipple are my stress relief...but combining them? Cheers...

In the words of John Lennon, "Whatever gets you through the night, it's alright."

If you're just having fun, then what can it hurt? We all play the drums for fun. It's not always serious time. But if you're doing any professional work, or serious practice time, or if you take your YouTube posting seriously, then you should probably exercise moderation and do most of that stuff sober for the most part. But, hey, whatever works for you. I personally wouldn't want to work with a drunkard. Not to say that about you, you did say that you take your work seriously and do it sober.

There have been times, and gigs, where having a beer before or during playing was something that worked for the occasion, and I still like to have a beer at the local blues jam even if I'm playing. For my current gig, though, I won't drink less than two hours before curtain. The show requires concentration and focus, and I never want to be "that guy".

I have seen many bands where getting drunk before, during, and/or after the gig was a main objective, and those bands are about where they were when first I saw them. Same with the ones that like to get high or do other substances in conjunction with playing. Past the bar crowd or the metal scene, there's not many people impressed by that kind of behavior... especially not anyone on the business side of the industry, I'd imagine.

Even just one drink and my feet get a mind of their own, while my hands seem to consistently fight about what needs to go where. It becomes very sad, and I don't even want to look at or even think about drumming at that point. It isn't an alcohol consumption or tolerance issue, it's a 'I've dedicated so much time to doing this while sober that it just doesn't work for me with a drink' issue.

Funny you should say that Jeff; when I met Ethel (the current Mrs Sumo) at the abattoir xmas party, I never noticed her hump or watering eye...as for the club foot; I just thought she was wearing one platform shoe.
And what a mover she was on the dance floor, the perfect foil for my grace and poise....and people wonder why I drink....

Thank goodness I know well enough to ensure my TenaLady is in place before I read any of your posts.

Ethel doesn't need to worry in the slightest, but you are my hero, Jonny Sumo.

Even just one drink and my feet get a mind of their own, while my hands seem to consistently fight about what needs to go where. It becomes very sad, and I don't even want to look at or even think about drumming at that point. It isn't an alcohol consumption or tolerance issue, it's a 'I've dedicated so much time to doing this while sober that it just doesn't work for me with a drink' issue.

This is just the most ridiculous answer to drinking I've ever read. If you start drinking DURING practice, you'll have no problem at all :-)'........Running for cover in 5.4.3.2.1.....

This is just the most ridiculous answer to drinking I've ever read. If you start drinking DURING practice, you'll have no problem at all :-)'........Running for cover in 5.4.3.2.1.....

Sorry but drinking and playing just don't work for me. So I don't do it. That is not ridiculous at all. What would be ridiculous is to convince myself that I can do it, and make alcohol a regular part of my practice routine just to overcome my not wanting to play and drink at the same time.

Thank goodness I know well enough to ensure my TenaLady is in place before I read any of your posts.

Ethel doesn't need to worry in the slightest, but you are my hero, Jonny Sumo.

If I can induce stress incontinence in one so young then my work is complete my dear Magenta....
Ethel has few worries in life; only this morning as I spoon fed her mushed up Weetabix and tousled the few strands of waxy hair that decorate her hump, she gazed at me, well in my general direction, with her good eye and tried so hard to formulate a sentence it could break your heart.....
anyhoos the good news is she has been promoted at the abattoir and is now Deputy Pig Stunner...makes me so damn proud....

__________________'I STILL wanna be the man with the 50lb hammer...'www.reverbnation.com/jonnysumo

Sorry but drinking and playing just don't work for me. So I don't do it. That is not ridiculous at all. What would be ridiculous is to convince myself that I can do it, and make alcohol a regular part of my practice routine just to overcome my not wanting to play and drink at the same time.

Or death as in so many other tragic cases of drug and alcohol abuse. I was kidding.....

If I can induce stress incontinence in one so young then my work is complete my dear Magenta....

As I said to Sir BacteriumFendYoke relatively recently, if you're trying to curry favour, you're going entirely the right way about it.

Arise, Sir Jonny Sumo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonny Sumo

Ethel has few worries in life; only this morning as I spoon fed her mushed up Weetabix and tousled the few strands of waxy hair that decorate her hump, she gazed at me, well in my general direction, with her good eye and tried so hard to formulate a sentence it could break your heart.....
anyhoos the good news is she has been promoted at the abattoir and is now Deputy Pig Stunner...makes me so damn proud....

As for me I think a drink or two does not hurt or help anyone much. If anything I think a drink or two gives people a false sense of less tension. I think excessive drinking more than likely would lead to sloppy or crazy playing. My guitar player is less nervous after like one drink so I'm all for him having one even if it just is all in his head or not.

Better? Nup. You improve with practice, repetition and experience, not grog. But one or two drinks sure as hell doesn't make me any worse......at least not with respect to holding it together to play the drums. It's not neurosurgery or flight control guys, lets not overstate the effects of one humble beer on the task at hand here.

Big difference between a couple of ales and rolling around on the floor shitfaced unable to find your kit. I'll never understand how the difference between sensible moderation and unnecessary excess gets completely lost every time this topic comes up.

I saw Van Halen in 79 when VH II was released.....The most awful gig ever from a playing point of view....They staggered on stage, clearly drunk and continued drinking through the whole show. They were sloppy at best but the atmosphere was incredible, the crowd loved every minute and VH had the time of their lives!
They winged it somehow and as it was their first world tour as headliners it was a constant party for them.
Exuberance and excess were the order of the day for a lot of bands of the genre. Many more fell fowl of their hedonistic antics and caused on stage train wrecks and worse.

Exactly. Some bands are all about rocking out and partying, where the musicians are basically the hedonistic ringleaders of the big party they host every time they gig.

It's completely different to playing a formal show where everything needs to be spot on for the magic to happen.

Also, there's a sweet spot with booze or whatever that can get you playing better - where you suddenly find yourself with a nice mix of focus and relaxation (something I find especially nice, being ADD). Often when we're affected by booze or whatever we think the music's sounding great and it's rally just sloppy. Still, it's not always an illusion. Sometimes you really do play better and the recordings corroborate that fact.

Trouble is, we don't understand the mechanics of how it works; we just know that if we imbibe before playing it may help, but often it makes little difference or it hinders.